Kimberly needed a break from the kids, so Kessler and Shaylee joined me for a climb along the Elliot Ridge to Meridian Peak in the Gore Range. The weather forecast was for a 0% chance of rain which is very unusual in the Colorado high country in summer.

It was a very sunny day and we got a fairly late start. Meridian Peak is a long climb, but even so we made side trips to the little sub-peaks either on the way there or on the way back.

It was an exciting climb because we saw many elk and even one bear. The weather was perfect and there were no signs at all of any thunderstorm threat so we continued along the ridge all the way to Meridian Peak.

After eating lunch and having a brief snowball fight we headed back down the mountain. It was a perfect day in perfect weather. Since we did ~13 miles round trip and climbed the sub-peaks, the kids were pretty tired by the time we got back.

September 1 2001:

With my wife. Had to drop off Elliot Ridge and wait out a thunderstorm on the way back.

A beautiful hike most of which is above timberline. Great views of Eagles Nest Peak as well as the jagged tops of many other peaks in the Gore Range. I could pick out Mt Sopris, Capitol Peak, Mt Elbert and Mt Massive as well as Long's Peak to the east.

Scot and I started at Piney Lake, went up towards Kneeknocker Pass and then up "East Corner", traversed over "Corner Peak", "NW Corner" and "Cataract Point" to finally arrive at Meridian Peak, then dropped off the southwest side and worked our way back to Piney. A long ridge tour, but with perfect weather!